Automobile-identifying device



C. W. Z|NT. AUTOMOBILE lIDENIIFYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1921. 1,402,702.' Patented Jan. v3, 1922,

I@` fem? Iii! IIIII ATTORNEYS UNITED STA-Tias 1 PATENT oFFicE. i

CARL W. ZINT, OF FORTJ'JIHOMAS, KENTUCKY.

4AUTOM()IBIIl'.IE.i-IDENTIIEY-:ING DEVICE.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom t may concern.'

HYBe it known that I, CARL WILLIAM ZTN'r, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Fort Thomas, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Automobile-Identifying Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in automobile license plates, and it pertains more particularly to a new and improved supporting means therefor.

It is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide means by which the auto* mobile may be properly identified in order to prevent surreptitious use thereof.

' It is a further object of the invention to provide the ,automobile with two license plates at the front thereof, which license plates contain corresponding data. in order that it may be ascertained by the use of. the two plates whether or not the automobile is beingoperated by the owneizor person vauthorized to operate the same.

With the above and other objects in view, reference is had to the accompanying drawin s, in which-` igure 1 is a detail view in elevation of the forward portion of a motor vehicle showing the position and attachment of the license-plate holder;

Fig. l2 is a detail license-plate holder; Y

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof;

, Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View ofone portion ofy the supportin bracket which carries the license-plate ho der.

' Referring more particularly to the 'drawings, the reference character 5 designates the side frames of a motor vehicle chassis. The reference character 6 designates a substantially L-shaped bracket member, and

perspective view of the f said bracket member is provided upon its under face with an integraldepending flange 7. This bracket is secured to one of theslde frames by means of bolts or the like 8,

-upon which are threaded nuts 9, it being understood that said bolts 8 pass through suitable openings. in the side frames 5 of the chassis.

t of the member 6 is provided with a plurality of perforations 15, and mounted in said'perforations 15 arebolts 16, which bolts serve to secure in posit-ion a license plate 17, which license plate 17 is thatcarried by the vehicle.

Secured tothe bracket member 1 by means of suitable fastenings 18, is an inverted U- shaped member 19, and suspended from the plate permanently U-shaped member 19 as by straps'20 or the. like, is a. frame member 21.

This frame member 21 is provided on its upper edge rai-.enten Jan. e, 1922.l

1921. Serial No. 486,988.

with a closing plate 22 retained in closed position by means of a rotary button or similar fastening 23. This frame member 21 is adapted to carry a license plate 21 corresponding with the license platev 17 heretofore mentioned. In order to prevent swaying of the frame 21, straps or similar means 25 carried by the frame engage the leg members of the invertcdU-shaped member 19.

The device operates in the following manner: J

The owner or authorized driver of the vehicle operating the same. places the license plate` 24 within the frame member 21. as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. During such times as the motor vehicle is standing or not being operated, the license plate 24 is removed from the, frame member 21 by the owner or authorized operator. and is carried'with'him on all occasions when he leaves the car.

From the foregoing it is apparent that `with the above identification means in use,

the absence of the number license plate 24 would indicate that an unauthorized person was operating the vehicle, since with'` an authorized person operating the same, the license plate 24 would be within the frame member 21 and would be visible from the front of the vehicle. v

While in the present instancethe frame member 21 is described as being formed of leather, it is obvious that the material from which the frame member is constructed and the manner in which it is suspended and retained in the inverted U-shaped member 19, are really immaterial since the 'material means for securinfg portion being adapted tobe receive by the other'of said members to prevent ,relative movement of the members in one dlrection,

to said depending ange, a U-shaped bracket secured to the rst-mentioned`bracket and arranged at right angles thereto, and means for ydisplaying a second'identiication pla-te,

an identification plate` l said identification-platedisplaying means beingsuspended lWithin the second-mentioned bracket, substantiallyas described.

2. A device of thel character described comprising a two-part. bracket, the members 0f said bracket having interengagement one With the other, a depending flange formed on. one of said members and adapted for engagement With a slot formed in the other of said members, means for supporting an identification plate fromsaid iange,y and a second bracket right-angularly disposed with respect to the first-mentioned bracket, `said second-mentionedbracket being formed of a single piece of material.

CARL W. ZINT. 

